Rift fears over plan to bring back tuition fees
Government partners were tonight facing a potential rift as moves to target high-income families for college fees was thrown in to the spotlight.
Education Minister Batt O’Keefe confirmed an expert group was examining putting third-level fees back on the agenda – breaking promises made in the programme for government.
The Greens and Progressive Democrats (PD) – coalition partners with Mr O’Keefe’s Fianna Fáil – quickly rejected any plans to bring back charges.
It was also loudly condemned by the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) and opposition parties Labour and Fine Gael – whose Rainbow coalition controversially abolished the payments in the mid-1990s.
PD leader Ciaran Cannon said the abolition of fees was a major step in achieving affordable access to third-level education for all young people.
“That is a core principal of our party,” Mr Cannon said.
“If third-level education has a problem with being underfunded, then we need to tackle that issue. There’s no denying that the standard of our third-level education has to remain competitive internationally.
“To simply reintroduce flat fees without any more thought or creativity or innovation is a retrograde step. We wouldn’t support it at any point.”
A Green Party spokeswoman said its policy remains as negotiated in the programme for government.
“We are against the reintroduction of fees, but we would have to look at it if it was officially put to us,” she said.
Mr O’Keefe emphasised any proposal to reintroduce fees would have to be based on ability to pay and fees would not be imposed on low-income families on the average industrial wage of 38,000 euro a year.
“At no time would my philosophy be to ask people to pay who couldn’t afford to pay,” the minister said.
“My philosophy going forward would be that we would entice far more people in to the third-level sector.”
USI president Shane Kelly said the return of third-level fees would be disastrous.
“In a struggling economy we need to ensure as many people as possible can access third level and not have their nose pressed up against the window,” he said.
“Not only would fees hurt students and their families, but they would put at risk the very idea of our knowledge economy by placing a barrier in front of those wishing to further their education.”
A change in the policy would need Cabinet approval.
Labour’s education spokesman Ruairi Quinn vowed to fight the plan tooth and nail.
Mr O’Keefe said the programme for government had been based on a 4.5% growth rate, which has dropped in the economic downturn.
He revealed that €2bn a year is ploughed in to third-level education and a forensic audit of third-level spending will be conducted to study value for money and if the sector is adequately resourced.
However, colleges have raised concerns about struggling to cope financially.
Just last month, the seven university heads warned cutbacks in degree courses and support services were inevitable as the Government moved to impose a 3% cut in payroll costs.
The Irish Universities Association (IUA) said it shared Mr O’Keefe’s views on the need to maintain a high standard of higher education.
“It is important, however, that any such examination look at both government and private funding together and the appropriate balance between these elements. We look forward to exploring the Minister’s reported views with him in the near future.”
